Lately, I have been very hesitant to work out at my gym location that is closest to me. Since I do belong to a large gym chain, I have the luxury of working out at any location in the Northeastern part of the US of A. And recently, I have been enjoying that luxury by going out of my way to work out everywhere besides the location that is about three blocks away from my home.

The reason is that it has become so damn ghetto. Yes, get over it, I used the term ghetto. The trainers are ghetto. More than half the clientele is ghetto. The housekeeping staff is ghetto. The front desk is ghetto (so are most of the other places I go to). And the management? Yup, ghetto. If I have my headphones on while on the treadmill, I should not be hearing you screaming at your client who is less than a foot away from you. That is ghetto. And that is the mildest incident that I can come up with.

I wish it were different. Ghetto is fine but in a business setting (which a gym is, after all), you need to have some air of decorum. Not half the gym staff chatting and snickering about the female members who are in downward dog in the class. And loudly. Not standing around chatting about the shortie you hooked up with at the club last night while weights are strewn all over the floor. And loudly. Not having an aggressive discussion about whether you consider yourself Dominican or American. AND LOUDLY. Not encouraging your Caucasian Jewish client to "work it out" then congratulating him by screaming out "HOLLA!". A little class people. Please.

Actually. Screw the class. Just shut the fuck up and let me work out to canned pop music. It's better than your pointless babbling. Later.

Can't disagree with you there. That's one of the reasons I love my gym, Equinox. I have found, at least the ones I go to, are very clean, well maintained and staffed with competent, professional and polite personnel. And the truth is, that counts. At least for me.

That sounds like the Flushing branch of the NYSC. My friend who lives in Flushing hates going there and travels all the way into the city to work out, which is kind of crazy when you think about how far it is.